Regional

12:02 pm

Mon February 11, 2013

Waivers On Class Sizes Set To Expire

Temporary relief provided by the state during the Great Recession enabled school districts across New Mexico to increase class sizes as a way to cope with reduced education funding from the state. That relief is about to end unless it is extended by the Legislature, and that could mean additional costs for districts even as the state is restoring some funding.

The Albuquerque district has used waivers to exceed to exceed maximum class sizes — by 3 percent one year and by 7 percent for two more.

According to the Albuquerque Journal, preliminary figures indicate the Albuquerque district might have to hire additional 300 teachers to get under the pre-waiver maximums on class sizes.